Method of and apparatus for reinforcing combo boxes

ABSTRACT

A reinforcing girdle for combo boxes comprises a continuous length of woven polypropylene fabric having an interior circumference which is closely matched to the exterior circumference of a combo box. The continuous length of fabric is secured around at least the lower portions of the side walls of the combo box to prevent the combo box from bursting during the transportation of meat and meat products therein. The continuous length of woven fabric may be provided with lengths of webbing material which are aligned with the corners of the combo box.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

Applicant claims priority based on provisional patent application Ser.No. 60/571,005 filed May 14, 2004.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to the transportation of meat and meatproducts, and more particularly to the reinforcement of combo boxesduring the utilization thereof in the transportation of meat and meatproducts.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a device 10 of the type known in themeat processing industry as a combo box. Combo boxes are utilized toreceive, transport, and discharge meat and meat products. For example,combo boxes may be filled with meat or meat products at a slaughterhouse or other point or origination and then utilized to transport themeat or meat products to a meat processing plant, for example, afacility that manufactures sausages, hot dogs, cold cuts, etc. Comboboxes are manufactured from a variety of materials including lumber,plywood, particle board, and various types of cellulose-based productssome which may be corrugated.

Combo boxes are typically square or rectangular in horizontal crosssection. Thus, combo boxes are characterized by four side walls 12 andfour corners 14. Regardless of their original configuration, as is shownin FIG. 1 combo boxes assume a more or less rounded configuration whenfilled.

Combo boxes are typically provided with a liner 16. If used, the liner16 is typically constructed from a selected polymeric film, such aspolyethylene. After the combo box is filled, the liner 16 is secured ina closed configuration at illustrated at 18. Individual combo boxes 10may be mounted on conventional pallets 20 to facilitate thetransportation of meat and meat products therein.

As is well known in the industry, combo boxes have a tendency to burstduring the utilization thereof in the transportation of meat and meatproducts. This is due in part to the materials that are utilized in theconstruction of combo boxes. Another factor is the square or rectangularhorizontal cross sectional configuration of combo boxes which results instress concentrations at the corners thereof.

Efforts to eliminate bursting problems associated with thetransportation of meat and meat products in combo boxes have includedthe wrapping of combo boxes with one or more layers of polymeric film.As is illustrated in FIG. 1, combo boxes have also been provided withone or more metal or reinforced polymeric straps 22 which are installedutilizing conventional strapping techniques. For a variety of reasonsincluding in particular excessive cost, prior combo box reinforcingtechniques have not been wholly satisfactory.

The present invention comprises a method of and apparatus forreinforcing combo boxes which overcomes the foregoing and other problemswhich have long since characterized the prior art. In accordance withthe broader aspects of the invention, at least the lower portions of theside walls and corners of a combo box are surrounded by a girdle whichcompletely prevents bursting of the combo box during utilization thereofin the transportation of meat and meat products. The girdle ispreferably manufactured from woven polypropylene fabric, however, otherpolymeric and natural fibers may be utilized in the manufacture of thegirdle depending upon the requirements of particular applications of theinvention. The girdle may be manufactured on a circular loom in whichcase the girdle is continuous around its entire circumference.Alternatively, the girdle may comprise a plurality of side wall panelswhich are sewn together edge to edge. Regardless of the techniques inthe manufacture thereof, the portions of the girdle that correspond tothe corners of the combo box may be reinforced with lengths of webbing.If used, the webbing is preferably manufactured from a polymericmaterial which as polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, etc.

As indicated above, the use of the girdle of the present invention toreinforce combo boxes is advantageous in that is completely eliminatesthe possibility of the bursting of combo boxes during utilizationthereof to transport meat and meat products. The use of the girdle ofthe present invention to reinforce combo boxes is further advantageousin that it provides a more economical combo box reinforcement techniqueas compared with the prior art. The use of the girdle of the presentinvention to reinforce combo boxes is further advantageous in that atleast in some instances the girdle of the present invention is reusable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the present invention may be had byreference to the following Detailed Description when taken in connectionwith the accompanying Drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a filled combo box which is reinforcedutilizing prior art techniques;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an empty combo box which is reinforcedin accordance with the method and apparatus of the present invention;and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a filled combo box which is reinforcedin accordance with the method and apparatus of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, there is shown a conventional combo box 30.The component parts of the combo box 30 as well as the liner and thepallet utilized in conjunction therewith are identical to the componentparts of the combo box 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 and describedhereinabove in conjunction therewith. Such identical component parts aredesignated in FIGS. 2 and 3 with the same reference numerals utilizedabove in the description of the combo box 10.

In accordance with the present invention the combo box 30 is reinforcedwith a girdle 32 which extends continuously around the entire peripheryof at least the lower portion of the exterior of the combo box 30. Thegirdle 32 is manufactured from fabric which is preferably woven fromstrands of a selected polymeric such as polypropylene. The fabriccomprising the girdle 32 can also be woven from other natural andsynthetic materials depending upon the requirements of particularapplications of the invention. Regardless of the material utilized inthe manufacture thereof, the girdle 32 is dimensioned to have a closefitting relationship with the side walls 12 and the corners 14 of thecombo box 30.

The girdle 32 may be manufactured on a circular loom in which case thegirdle 32 is continuous around its entire periphery. Alternatively, thegirdle 32 may comprise one, two, three, or four side walls 34 which aresewn together edge to edge to define one, two, three, or four corners36. Regardless of the technique that is utilized in the manufacture ofthe girdle 32 the locations thereof corresponding to the corners 14 ofthe combo box 30 may be reinforced with lengths of polymeric webbingmaterial 38. If used, the lengths of webbing material 38 are secured tothe fabric comprising the girdle 32 by sewing.

The use of the girdle of the present invention in the reinforcement ofcombo boxes has been found to be advantageous over prior art combo boxreinforcement techniques. First, the use of the girdle of the presentinvention to reinforce combo boxes has been found to provide 100%reliability in the prevention of the bursting of combo boxes during thetransportation of meat and meat products therein. Second, thereinforcement of combo boxes utilizing the girdle of the presentinvention is more economical as compared with prior art combo boxreinforcement techniques. Third, at least in some instances combo boxreinforcement girdles of the present invention may be reused therebyfurther enhancing the economic benefits resulting from the practice ofthe present invention.

Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated inthe accompanying Drawings and described in the foregoing DetailedDescription, it will be understood that the invention is not limited tothe embodiments disclosed, but is capable of numerous rearrangements,modifications, and substitutions of parts and elements without departingfrom the spirit of the invention.

1. A method of reinforcing combo boxes of the type comprising four sidewalls which define a predetermined exterior circumference comprising thesteps of: providing a continuous girdle formed from woven fabric andhaving an interior circumference closely matched to the exteriorcircumference of the combo box; and extending the girdle around at leastthe lower portions of the exterior surfaces comprising the side walls ofthe combo box.
 2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step ofproviding a girdle is carried out by providing a girdle comprising awoven polymeric material.
 3. The method according to claim 2 wherein thestep of providing the girdle is carried out by providing a girdle formedfrom woven polypropylene fabric.
 4. The method according to claim 1wherein the step of providing a girdle is carried out by providing agirdle formed from woven polypropylene fabric which is continuous aroundits entire circumference.
 5. The method according to claim 1 wherein thestep of providing a girdle is carried out by providing a girdle formedfrom at least one panel comprising woven polypropylene fabric and havingedges which are sewn together to form the girdle.
 6. The methodaccording to claim 1 wherein the step of providing a girdle includes theadditional step of providing reinforcing members formed from webbingmaterial which are secured to the girdle at locations aligned with thecorners of the combo box.
 7. The method according to claim 1 wherein thestep of providing a girdle is further characterized by: providing fourside wall panels each formed from woven polypropylene fabric; sewing thefour side wall panels together edge to edge thereby forming a continuousside wall having an interior circumference which is closely matched tothe exterior circumference of the combo box; providing four lengths ofpolymeric webbing material; securing the lengths of polymeric webbingmaterial to the exterior of the panel with the lengths of webbingmaterial extending substantially vertically and with the lengths ofwebbing material positioned in alignment with the corners of the combobox.
 8. A girdle for use in reinforcing combo boxes of the typecomprising four side walls connected edge to edge and defining apredetermined exterior circumference comprising: a continuous length ofwoven fabric having an interior circumference which is closely matchedto the exterior circumference of the side walls of the combo box; thecontinuous length of woven fabric being engaged with at least the lowerportions of the side walls comprising the combo box to prevent burstingof the combo box during the transportation of meat and meat productstherein.
 9. The girdle according to claim 8 wherein the girdle comprisesa woven polymeric material.
 10. The girdle according to claim 9 whereinthe girdle is formed from woven polypropylene fabric.
 11. The girdleaccording to claim 8 wherein the girdle is formed from wovenpolypropylene fabric which is continuous around its entirecircumference.
 12. The girdle according to claim 8 wherein the girdle isformed from at least one panel comprising woven polypropylene fabric andhaving edges which are sewn together to form the girdle.
 13. The girdleaccording to claim 8 further including reinforcing members formed fromwebbing material which are secured to the girdle at locations alignedwith the corners of the combo box.
 14. The girdle according to claim 8further characterized by: four side wall panels each formed from wovenpolypropylene fabric; the four side wall panels being sewn together edgeto edge thereby forming a continuous side wall having an interiorcircumference which is closely matched to the exterior circumference ofthe combo box; four lengths of polymeric webbing material; the lengthsof polymeric webbing material being seamed to the exterior of the panelwith the lengths of webbing material extending substantially verticallyand with the lengths of webbing material positioned in alignment withthe corners of the combo box.